Board of Commissioners

The Port is directed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners. Each of the three communities (Granite City, Madison and Venice) have one seat on the Board. This seat is filled by the mayor of each community or their appointee. The remaining six commissioners are appointed by the governor of Illinois. Terms are three years.

Mayor Echols has been the City of Venice’s representative on the Port Board on two separate occasions; he was originally appointed in 2002. Tyrone is the Mayor of Venice and a retired businessman. He has held the office of Treasurer, Secretary and Chairman of the America’s Central Port District Board of Commissioners.

Mayor Hagnauer was appointed to the Board of Commissioners by the Governor of Illinois in 2005. He is a former Madison County Board Member and is presently the Mayor of Granite City, IL. Ed is a retired Granite City Fire Chief and life-long resident of the Tri-City area. He has served as Treasurer, Secretary and Chairman of the America’s Central Port District Board.

Mayor Hamm represents the City of Madison on the Port’s Board of Commissioners and has been a member since 1997 and has served as Treasurer, Secretary and Chairman. John is the Mayor of Madison, IL.

Dr. King has been a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port District since 1992 and has also served as Treasurer, Secretary and Chairman during his tenure. A life-long resident of Granite City, he has served as past President of the Granite City Rotary Club and a board member of the Tri-City Area YMCA. Dr. King owns King Spinal & Sports Rehabilitation in Granite City, a practice focusing on chiropractic care and physical therapy.

Mr. Shipley was appointed to the America’s Central Port District Board of Commissioners by Governor Quinn in 2011. Mr. Shipley is employed as the Executive Director of the Metro East Sanitary District. He is also a former Madison County Board member and currently serves as Granite City Township Supervisor.

Mr. Signall was appointed to the Board of Commissioners by the Governor of Illinois in 2004. He has over thirty years’ experience in banking and finance and extensive expertise in commercial loans and bank administration. Mr. Signall is a resident of Granite City.

Mayor Thompson of Grafton, Illinois was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2015 by the Governor of Illinois. Prior to becoming the Mayor of Grafton, Mayor Thompson had over 30 years as an educator.

Mayor Walker of Alton, Illinois was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2015 by the Governor of Illinois. Prior to winning his election in 2013, Mayor Walker was the owner and Senior Recruiter at Strategic Search Services in Alton.